Magneto



Feb. 18, 1941. w, J SFENGLER 2,232,645

- men-r0 Filed JuIy 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. waiter J 6 m 2 QWA ATTORNEY.

Feb. 18, 1941. w. J. SPIENGLER mam-2T0 Filed July 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

PatentedFeb. 18, Q

. UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE MAGNETO Walter J. Spengler, Sidney, N. Y., minor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, End a corporation of Delaware Application July 7, 1937, Serial No. 152,466

10 Claims. (Cl. 171-209) The present invention relates to a magneto the following description taken in connection with generator, and more particularly to a combined the accompanying drawings wherein is fllustrated high tension magneto and distributor of the type one preferred embodiment of the invention. adapted to be employed for ignition purposes in In the drawings wherein like reference charinternal combustion engines. The magneto dlsacters refer to like parts throughout the several 5 closed in this invention is adapted for use in airviews: craft and more particularly for aircraft intended Fig, 1 is a side elevation, partly diagrammatic,

for high altitude flying. of the novel generator mountedon anaircratt It is known that at high altitudes ignition ditengine, showing the connection with the engine l0 ficulties may arise with conventional ignition supercharger;

systems since the low atmospheric pressure may Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the magcause sparking in the magneto distributor rather neto, partly broken away to show the distributor than in the plugs. Since the insulating value chamber and packing means constructed in acof air decreases with altitude, special provisions cord-ance wtih the present invention; and to prevent flash-over in the distributor become Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionalview taken subdesirable when the altitude of operation of the stantially on the line 2-3 oi Fig.2. device is increased to such an extent as to largely efe g fi st o there is flfi reduce the ambient pressure. Such provisions semill m fl fi i E Conventional o o may take the form of an increase in the dimemaircraft engine l having a ma ne o g nerator 2 w sions of the distributor in order to increase the mounted thereon and driven thereby, and pi'o- 2d flash-over distances, or an alteration of the charvided with a supercharger 3 here illustrated as acter of the dielectric medium as by increasing of the exhaust-driven type, the motor section be-= the pressure of the air in the distributor. In inn connected to the engine exhaust by a conduit creased size is not desirable since the available and the output thereof bein conduc to t 5 space on the aircraft engine is very limited, also carburetor of the engine lol Conduit it would involve increased Weight. In 2, i represents the tension coil, An object of this invention is to provide a novel and 8 represents generally the central electrode magneto having supercharged air surrounding oi the magneto distributor. The distributor block: the distributor. t shown in cross section, and showing one of so smother object of the invention is to provide its contacts it). The distributor finger it is do novel magneto particularly adapted for use shown in cross section and is connected to a h al i desdrive member i2 icy means oi a screw iii. The Another object of the invention is to provide drive member '62 has shaft portion 06 mounted such a magneto generator which is small and in a hearing iii located theend Wall it oi the compact, yet powerful and efficient. distributor choinhen Another object of the invention is to provide distributor lolocls is of novel construction, a novel magneto adapted to use compressed air being circular in shape and it the chut from the supercharger of an internal combustion lnent in the Wall oi? the chamber as seen in engine for the purpose oi increasing the pressure and 3. l'ntemecl atc therewith is a socket W within the distrihutor chamher. 32 which seals engagement. so

A further: object of the invention is to provide The central electrode cit novel construction a magneto having a distributor chamber adopted and so constructed that it forms a seal that tic-es to be supercharged. not permit pressure irons the inside oi the dis A further object of the invention is to provide trihutor chamber to leair out through the elecsuch a devic including novel packing means to trode. The central electrode 9 has an outer shell prevent the wane or leakage of the supercharged it so constructed that at one end it has an inair from the distributor chamber. wardly protruding shoulder it, while at the other Another object of the invention is to provide end it is open. In the middle of the shell i such a deviceineiuding a novel construction of there are two outwardly projecting shoulders or ll a central electrode. ahutments 19 and 2E. The contact but-ton 22 is so Still another object of the invention is to proformed integral with the shell 2% which makes vide such a device that includes a novel sieifcontact with the high tension coil 7. The shell sealing bearing. 2-3 is slotted as shown at H so as to permit it to Other objects and advantages of the invention be collapsed and inserted into the shell l'l. The as will be apparent, to those skilled in the art, from contact shell 2 3, has at the end opposite the button portion an outwardly projecting ring or lip that engages the shoulder or abutment 2 of the shell .lll The purpose of the ring or lip is to prevent the button from dropping out of the distributor block when it is removed from the magneto. An inner shell 2! is placed in the shell H. The shell 28 has one end thereof closed and the other end is opened and has a protruding flange member 2! to bear upon the shoulder II. A stiff spring member 2! is placed within the shell 23 and over the shell II bearing upon the flange 21 and maintaining it in sealing en-- gagement with shoulder I! and also pressing the contact button into engagement with the coil I.

A contact member or brush 29 preferably in the form of a carbon button is slidably mounted in the shell I! and adapted to protrude therefrom for engagement with a distributor arm 3!. Contact member 29 is provided with an enlarged portion 28 providing a shoulder ll adapted to engage the inwardly extending shoulder ll of shell IT to prevent escape of the said contact member from the distributor block I. Means in the form of a spring Il housed in the inner shell 26 is provided for urging the contact member or brush 29 outwardly in engagement with the distributor arm II. Spring 28 is so constructed as to be stiffer than spring ll so as to constantly maintain the sealing engagement of the flange 21 of shell 2! against the shoulder ll irrespective of compression of the contact spring 34.

Since it is necessary to pack the distributor chamber to prevent leakage of the supercharged air therein, it is necessary to have a packing means for the bearing ll of the shaft I to prevent leakage through the bearing. This packing is accomplished by securing a ring-shaped member 35 to the driving element 12. A spring member I8, which as illustrated is in the form of a bellow spring, is utilized to support another ring member 31 to the ring 35. A ring or plate member 38 is secured to the wall of the distributor chamber as by screws ll. Set into this plate or ring 38 is a carbon or other non-metallic ring member 4 I. The pressure exerted by the spring member 36 upon the ring 81 causes a sealing bearing engagement to be maintained between the ring 31 and the ring Ii.

The rings 35 and 31 are provided with annular shoulders 42 and 43 for locating the spring 38 and limiting the collapse of said spring. The shoulders 42 and it are spun over as shown, to rigidly hold the spring I! in place.

The screw member ll which connects the member I! to its driving gear prevents an escape of the air or gas out of the chamber through the hollow shaft member II.

A plurality of vents are located around the bearing such as the vent H which is located in the wall of the distributor chamber just beneath the bearing i8 and within the periphery of the rings 31 and ll. In the event that the sealing means of the bearing leaks, the air pressure within the distributor chamber will be conducted out of the chamber by means of these vents, thereby preventing the pressure from blowing the lubricating means out of the bearing ii with consequent reduction in its efficiency.

According to the present invention, means are provided for supplying air under pressure to the sealed distributor chamber from the engine supercharger 3. As here shown, this is accomplished by means of a tube 4! (Fig. 1) connected at one end with the output conduit of the supercharger, and at the other end with a suitable fitting Ii entering the distributor chamber.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments are possible and that various changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A distributor chamber for a high tension magneto, said chamber having in it an electrode, a rotor, a drive member, a first ring, a sealing spring member, a second ring, a third ring, a fourth ring and an end plate, said drive member being attached to the rotor, said first ring being secured to the drive member, said sealing spring member in contact with said first and second rings, said third ring being attached to the fourth ring, said fourth ring being secured to the end plate, the said second ring being in continuous contact with said third ring.

2. In a distributor chamber for a magneto, an electrode, a rotary circuit controlling device, a driving means for said rotary controlling device including a shaft, a bearing mounted on said shaft and in the wall of said chamber, said electrode protruding into the chamber and into contact with said rotary circuit controlling device, means for sealing said electrode and packing means associated with said bearing, said last named means including an annular, bellows type spring.

3. A magneto for internal combustion engines, a distributor chamber in said magneto, said distributor chamber being subject to a pressure greater than the pressure outside of said chamber, said chamber including an airtight electrode element protruding therein, a rotary switching member, a driving element for said rotary switching member, a shaft for said driving element and a bearing for said shaft fitted in a wall of said chamber, said electrode being in contact with said rotary switching member, packing means in said chamber to prevent a reduction of pressure due to leakage, said packing means including the air-tight electrode element and packing means for the bearing, said last-mentioned packing means including a first ring attached to the driving element, a second ring, a third ring attached to a wall 01' the chamber, a sealing spring in cooperative relation with the first and second rings, said spring bearing upon the second ring forcing the second ring into a tight contact with the said third ring.

4. In a magneto having a supercharged distributor chamber, said chamber having in it a central electrode member, a rotary switchingfinger, a driving element for said rotary switching finger, a shaft for said driving element and a bearing on said shaft extending through a wall 01 the chamber, packing means for said chamber, said packing means comprising a bearing packing element and the central electrode element having a packing element including an outer shell with abutments therein, a brush extending into said shell, one end of said brush extending into an inner shell, said inner shell havinga flange abutting the outer shell, another shell having on one end thereof a contact button and ing finger, a shaft for said driving element and a bearing on said shaft extending through a wall of the chamber, packing means for said chamber, said packing means comprising a bearing packing element including a first ring on said driving element, a second ring and a third ring --attached to said wall of the chamber and a bellows spring supporting said second ring to the first ring and forcing said second ring into contact with said third ring, and the central electrode element having a packing element including an outershell with abutments therein, a brush extending into said shell, one end of said brush extending into an inner shell, said inner shell having a flange abutting the outer shell, another shell having on one end thereof a contact button and extending into said outer shell and over the inner shell, the other end thereof having a flange in contact with an abutment of said outer shell, a spring in said inner shell tending to push out the brush, a stiffer spring over said inner shell forcing the flanges of the inner shell in contact with an abutment of said outer shell.

6. A magneto as set forth in claim 5, vents in the wall of the distributor chamber, said vents being within the periphery of the second and third ring and between the spring and the hearing.

'7. A magneto generator for internal combustion engines including an enclosed distributor chamber, said distributor chamber being capable of being supplied with a supercharged gas, said distributor being provided with packing means to prevent a reduction of pressure in said chamber by leakage, vents in a wall of said chamber to equalize the pressure within and without said chamber in case said packing means fails.

8. An enclosed supercharged distributor chamber for a magneto generator including an'electrode, a rotary switching member, a drive member therefor, a shaft attached to said drive member, a bearing on said shaft and in a wall of said enclosed chamber, packing means for said electrode and for said bearing, said electrode packing means including an outer shell having abutments thereon, an inner shell one end of which having a flange, said electrode fitting into said end, the other end being enclosed, an intermediate shell fitting into and over said outer shell and inner shell respectively, a spring in said inner shell pressing the electrode out, a stiff spring fitting over said inner shell and in said intermediate shell forcing the flange of the inner shell into a tight contact with an abutment of said outer shell; said packing means for the said bearing including a spring attached to said drive member, a member attached to the spring, a second member surrounding said bearing and attached to the wall of said enclosed distributor chamber, the spring forcing the last two mentioned members into close contact, and a vent through the wall of said distributor chamber and so placed as to be an outlet if said bearing packing means fails.

9. An enclosed supercharged distributor chamber for a magneto generator including an electrode, a. rotary switching member, a drive member therefor, a shaft attached to said drive member, a bearing on said shaft and in a wall of said enclosed chamber, packing means for said electrode and for said bearing, said electrode packing means including an outer shell having abutments therein, an inner shell one end of which having a flange, said electrode fitting into said end, the other end being enclosed, an intermediate shell fitting into and over said outer shell and inner shell respectively, a stiff spring fitting over said inner shell and in said intermediate shell forcing the flange of the inner shell into a tight contact with an abutment of said outer shell; said packing means for the said bearing including a spring attached to said drive member, a'member attached to the spring, a second member surrounding said bearing and attached to the wall of said enclosed distributor chamber, the spring forcing the last two mentioned members into close contact.

10. Ina central electrode for a supercharged distributor chamber of a magneto generator, said electrode including an outer shell, a middle shell fitting into said outer shell, an inner shell being closed n one end and telescoped in said middle shell, a brush, a spring in said inner shell forcing the said brush outwardly from said inner shell, another spring placed within said middle shell forcing the inner shell into close contact with said outer shell.

WALTER J. SPENGIER. 

